Channel 22 I-Team Report on Gun Loophole

[Dennis in MA]

I would make some sort of comment that their approach of making MA things illegal in MA does nothing to deter criminals. . . .

But this is the same state that just starting monitoring vehicle inspections.

My guess is this is step 8 of a 43 step plan to have someone or something monitor every person in the state - resident or not - 24/7.

 

[LoginName]

Another dealer talkin to the press, what the F, this isn't complicated the press will twist what you say. Shut the F up.

Gotta love the way they make it look like all it takes to make a gun from an 80% is pop in a couple pins. Bet the shop didn't think they would do that.

STOP TALKING TO THE PRESS!!!

If this keeps up we're going to need a MEGATHREAD for gun shops that work hand in hand with the media to
shaft MA gun owners.

 

[MachineryGun]

Maybe now the politicians will see that laws only create engineering creativity. They can’t outlaw knowledge.

State Legislature: "Hold my beer"

 

[Woodstock]

If this keeps up we're going to need a MEGATHREAD for gun shops that work hand in hand with the media to
shaft MA gun owners.

I watched it last night, and as soon as he appeared I said "oh hell, Mario didn't get the memo." He didn't give away any big secrets, and he did take a swipe at the .gov for banning the MSRs. I understand the reaction many of us, including me, have to anyone talking to the media, but if we're not careful we can boycott our way into having no small shops left, especially out here in Injun Territory. For the record, I have no connection to him or the shop.

 

[MassPete]

I watched it last night, and as soon as he appeared I said "oh hell, Mario didn't get the memo." He didn't give away any big secrets, and he did take a swipe at the .gov for banning the MSRs. I understand the reaction many of us, including me, have to anyone talking to the media, but if we're not careful we can boycott our way into having no small shops left, especially out here in Injun Territory. For the record, I have no connection to him or the shop.

Sorry buddy... Mario should know better. He completely F-ed up with this interview. No Excuses.... IMHO I can't believe the ignorance of these gun shop owners. The rule of "there is no such thing as bad press" only applies to Hollywood.

 

[MassPete]

As said by 42!, STOP TALKING TO THE LIBERAL MEDIA!!!!

 

[LoginName]

Sorry buddy... Mario should know better. He completely F-ed up with this interview. No Excuses.... IMHO I can't believe the ignorance of these gun shop owners. The rule of "there is no such thing as bad press" only applies to Hollywood.

He ****ed up on the interview by pointing out that the magwell was one of the areas that had to be completed.

 

[MassPete]

exactly... He spoke to them. Don't speak to them.

 

[MassPete]

and yes, I get it....

 

[LoginName]

exactly... He spoke to them. Don't speak to them.

The only exceptions at this point should be GOAL, Com2a and the NRA, at least they have some experience and expertise
in this area, and public relations is part of their job.

Just about anyone else, no good will come of it, no matter how honest and sincere their intentions are.

 

[MassPete]

 

[Dennis in MA]

If this keeps up we're going to need a MEGATHREAD for gun shops that work hand in hand with the media to
shaft MA gun owners.

There's always going to be a "Ted" out there. You can't help it.

 

[DPR]

Just pop two pins and you've got yourself a crime gun!

 

[DERBIS]

There's always going to be a "Ted" out there. You can't help it.

How about a letter from Goal, Comm2a or the NRA to MA shops saying don't talk to the media, mentioning a few recent instances where shops are basically outing themselves as aiding the enemy, whether it was intended OR NOT.

It shouldn't have to be done at all, ever. But FFS it never helps because the media has an absolute agenda and will twist any contact they get towards their favor.

 

[Shark_Cage]

How about a letter from Goal, Comm2a or the NRA to MA shops saying don't talk to the media, mentioning a few recent instances where shops are basically outing themselves as aiding the enemy, whether it was intended OR NOT.

It shouldn't have to be done at all, ever. But FFS it never helps because the media has an absolute agenda and will twist any contact they get towards their favor.

I think some people are naive or FUDDS or just getting older.

 

[xtry51]

Root problem: People think 1) There have always been BG checks, when they are in fact relatively new 2) That somehow the gun magically becomes untraceable if I sell it to someone face to face. Every current gun can be traced to origin sale and can then be tracked forward 3) Tracking a gun somehow prevents crimes later.

 

[xtry51]

Mickey Leadingham is the Special Agent in Charge of the ATF's Boston Field Division. He told the I-Team, when someone uses a gun to commit a crime, law enforcement will use the serial number to track that gun to its original owner. “There's no serial numbers or makings on that firearm that could allow us, the ATF, to track that back to the original manufacturer, because he or she is the manufacturer.”

Leadingham told the I-Team a receiver qualifies as a firearm, which means if you manufacture it, you're legally required to register it. If you don't, you're committing a felony. “If you're caught with that firearm you could be prosecuted, because once you turn that into an actual firearm, you're in violation of federal law.”


This is bullshit.

You can complete an 80% lower for your PERSONAL USE without registering it with anyone.
If you complete it and then sell it, that's when you're crossing that line because now you're a manufacturer.

As usual, they're blending truth and fiction for the sound bite.

The bolded part is hilarious. Why is it important to trace a firearm anywhere? This provides literally no value to a court case for committing a crime with a gun. Where you get the gun has nothing to do with what it's used for later.

 

[DERBIS]

I think some people are naive or FUDDS or just getting older.

I know, but thats only an excuse. These shops need to be educated in some manor.

These shops think they can educate through the media, pointing out how there are laws they follow, but it only does harm. And the damage won't only affect MA. Obviously there are states pushing for more and more CC, but look at he piles of bills being introduced that would infringe upon rights in those free states. Its sickening.

People need to be informed on a personal level IMO. I know its a touchy subject at workplaces but every little bit is important when it comes to using truth and facts. Something the media doesnt use, but the people seem to absorb.

 

[42!]

How about a letter from Goal, Comm2a or the NRA to MA shops saying don't talk to the media, mentioning a few recent instances where shops are basically outing themselves as aiding the enemy, whether it was intended OR NOT.

It shouldn't have to be done at all, ever. But FFS it never helps because the media has an absolute agenda and will twist any contact they get towards their favor.

Phone calls, unless you want that letter on the evening news.

 

[FPrice]

How about a letter from Goal, Comm2a or the NRA to MA shops saying don't talk to the media, mentioning a few recent instances where shops are basically outing themselves as aiding the enemy, whether it was intended OR NOT.

It shouldn't have to be done at all, ever. But FFS it never helps because the media has an absolute agenda and will twist any contact they get towards their favor.

Phone calls, unless you want that letter on the evening news.

Pretty much what 42! said. There will always be some dumb Richard who will take it to the media saying "look what they did!". Media does not take kindly to having other organizations tell people not to talk to them. "What are they hiding?"

Best avenue, YOU tell your local gun shop that talking to the media is never a good idea because the media does not like guns and will manage to turn whatever you say into something bad.

 

[LoginName]

The bolded part is hilarious. Why is it important to trace a firearm anywhere? This provides literally no value to a court case for committing a crime with a gun. Where you get the gun has nothing to do with what it's used for later.

The funny thing about is that an AR is probably the easiest gun out there to deface/remove the serial number from
and not affect the functionality or reliability... just a few minutes with a drill would be all it takes.

Yeah, there's the being caught with a firearm with defaced serial numbers thing to deal with, but I highly suspect anyone
with bad intentions is going to be concerned about it.

That's one of the things misleading about the story. They gave the number of out of state crime guns recovered, mentioned
something about defaced numbers or no numbers, but failed to report how many "ghost guns", firearms built from 80% receivers
were involved. I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers were in the low single digits for MA "crime guns".

 

[Boris]

Here's a thought,

Why don't we have someone like GOAL or Comm2A do a LIVEinterview with this ATF agent in charge and question him on what he is saying in these past two articles. Question him with facts, MGL numbers or codes, constitution, state and federal law.

Do it on a live streaming feed and let it show that the ATF Federal Agent is either lying, or being used and expose all these reporters.

It doesn't have to be live, any member of the press should do it. It's either 22 team are lying and should post a retraction with their sincerest apologies or this ATF agent is a total dumbass who needs to be made an example on a national level.

 

[xtry51]

The funny thing about is that an AR is probably the easiest gun out there to deface/remove the serial number from
and not affect the functionality or reliability... just a few minutes with a drill would be all it takes.

Yeah, there's the being caught with a firearm with defaced serial numbers thing to deal with, but I highly suspect anyone
with bad intentions is going to be concerned about it.

That's one of the things misleading about the story. They gave the number of out of state crime guns recovered, mentioned
something about defaced numbers or no numbers, but failed to report how many "ghost guns", firearms built from 80% receivers
were involved. I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers were in the low single digits for MA "crime guns".

Well remember the guy who shot up a church in TX used an ASSAULT RIFLE, but the guy who stopped him used a RIFLE (even initially reported as a shotgun). Because we can't have people knowing a guy living a few houses down used an AR15 to stop a mass shooter.

 

[LoginName]

It doesn't have to be live, any member of the press should do it. It's either 22 team are lying and should post a retraction with their sincerest apologies or this ATF agent is a total dumbass who needs to be made an example on a national level.

Only their best and brightest are designated to keep the public informed...

 

[MachineryGun]

Aneurysm triggered...

 

[Horrible]

The funny thing about is that an AR is probably the easiest gun out there to deface/remove the serial number from
and not affect the functionality or reliability... just a few minutes with a drill would be all it takes.

Yeah, there's the being caught with a firearm with defaced serial numbers thing to deal with, but I highly suspect anyone
with bad intentions is going to be concerned about it.

That's one of the things misleading about the story. They gave the number of out of state crime guns recovered, mentioned
something about defaced numbers or no numbers, but failed to report how many "ghost guns", firearms built from 80% receivers
were involved. I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers were in the low single digits for MA "crime guns".

99% or some absurdly high number of "gun crimes" are committed with HANDGUNS! Only a minute portion of crimes are committed with "Assault Weapons"

 

[Shark_Cage]

99% or some absurdly high number of "gun crimes" are committed with HANDGUNS! Only a minute portion of crimes are committed with "Assault Weapons"

Low Hanging Fruit

"Assault Weapons"
Semi-auto rifles
Sniper Rifles (Fudd hunter rifles)
"Street Sweeper" shotguns (all)
handguns

 

[42!]

Low Hanging Fruit

"Assault Weapons"
Semi-auto rifles
Sniper Rifles (Fudd hunter rifles)
"Street Sweeper" shotguns (all)
handguns

Ya but once they're done taking these then we can keep our guns, right"?

 

[Rob Boudrie]

99% or some absurdly high number of "gun crimes" are committed with HANDGUNS! Only a minute portion of crimes are committed with "Assault Weapons"

If you are old enough to remember the 70's, your going to familiar with "We don't want your rifles, it's the handguns we want to ban" ... and one of the active group was that National Coalition to Ban Handguns.

If they get the AWs, the will be back for the handguns. It's only a matter of time.

 

[kalash]

Oh for ****'s sake...

They're called "ghost guns," and the pieces to make them can legally be purchased over the Internet in most states with an FID card.

So the buyer passed a background check? What's the problem?

Ghost guns are made with an unfinished receiver, which is the pistol frame that houses internal components such as the hammer, and firing mechanism. Most of the time, they don’t have a serial number, but do require some modification.

Ikea furniture requires "some modification". An 80% lower is a wee bit more involved than that

Mario Torchia owns Nick's Sports Shop in Palmer. He doesn't build guns, but showed the I-Team how the process would work. “This will be not finished, and you will be missing a couple pins that still need to be drilled out.”

Yeah, it's really easy - just figure out exactly where the holes need to be drilled, what size they need to be, and then drill them with precision. Then remove a ton of metal with a lathe and you're done! Easy peasy!

Leadingham told the I-Team if a person is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm, they're also prohibited from possessing a ghost gun. “If you're caught with that firearm you could be prosecuted, because once you turn that into an actual firearm, you're in violation of federal law.”

Now there's a law that even the most hardened criminals will not break. Right?

Under Massachusetts law, a receiver qualifies as a firearm...

No. It doesn't.

According to the ATF, officers have confiscated 115 firearms in Massachusetts this year that either have no serial numbers, or obliterated serial numbers.

Wait a minute... What do guns with obliterated serial numbers have to do with "ghost guns"? Nice bait'n'switch.

State Representative Bud Williams told the I-Team, that number is a concern for lawmakers. “Who knows how many guns are out here that were bought online, assembled. Do know how many guns are out there? No, and it’s scary.

Good - the government is supposed to be scared.

"Criminals usually don't take the time to manufacture their own firearms."

Finally some truth.

According to ATF, there is no way of knowing how many ghost guns are out there.

Well... good.